Orthorexic Tendencies Research Articles

Orthorexia tendency and social media addiction among candidate doctors and nurses.

To determine orthorexia tendency and social media addiction among candidate doctors and nurses. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in 2019 with 969 candidate doctors and nurses training in a peripheral public university. Data were collected via ORTO-15 and Social Media addiction scales and analyzed by using percentage, mean, χ 2 test, and binary logistic regression. Of the study population, 78.8% were social media addicts and 62.2% had orthorexic tendencies. The ratio of orthorexic tendency was 31.0% among high/very high addicts (p < 0.05). In preclinical years, both groups should be screened for early detection of orthorexia tendency and social media addiction. A combination of therapy and nutrition education should be used and social media literacy should be promoted to raise awareness of orthorexia.

Orthorexia among patients with eating disorders, student dietitians and general population: a pilot study.

Orthorexia is a recent construct describing an unhealthy and extreme concern for healthy food. To date, its relationship with other eating disorders (EDs) remains unclear, and little is known about the development of this condition. Current literature suggests that a thorough knowledge about nutrition and alimentation, as in the case of experts in the field of dietetics, could foster the development of orthorexic tendencies. The aim of this study was to compare orthorexia between ED patients, student dietitians and general population. A total of 90 female participants (age: 18-29years) were recruited: 30 ED patients, 30 student dietitians and 30 control subjects, matched for age and sex. Orthorexia, ED-specific and general psychopathology were evaluated using self-report questionnaires (ORTO-15, Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire and Symptom Checklist-90-Revised). Eating disorder patients had significantly higher orthorexic tendencies than other groups (p < 0.001), while student dietitians and general population showed no difference between each other (p = 0.96). Moreover, orthorexia positively correlated to ED psychopathology in ED patients (p = 0.004), but not in control groups. Our data do not confirm previous suggestions that experts in the field of dietetics may display a higher level of orthorexia. Level IV, cross-sectional observational study (case series).

The Effect of Attentional Bias in the Threatening of Food Choice for Individuals with Orthorexic Tendencies

The Effect of Attentional Bias in the Threatening of Food Choice for Individuals with Orthorexic Tendencies

Low self-esteem predicts orthorexia nervosa, mediated by spiritual attitudes among frequent exercisers

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to measure how orthorexic tendencies relate to age, self-esteem, and spirituality. We conducted the study on a sample of Hungarian adults performing regular fitness activity.Method175 participants completed a four-part online survey: demographics and training habits, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Eating Habits Questionnaire-Revised (EHQ-R), and one of the Spiritual Awareness questionnaire’s subscale. We performed univariate linear regression to assess the predictor role of age on orthorexic tendencies. Mediation analysis was conducted to determine the effect of self-esteem on orthorexic tendencies and the mediator role of spiritual attitudes.ResultsAge negatively correlated with EHQ-R, and there were no gender differences. Lower self-esteem was a predictor for orthorexic tendencies with the total effect of ß = -0.3046 (p < 0.0001). In part, this is a direct relationship, but it is mediated by spiritual awareness as well.DiscussionAmong frequent exercisers, strict dieting is likely to originate from a lack of self-esteem due to perfectionist standards, social comparison, and the aspiration of being in control. In case self-esteem is achieved through spiritual approaches, individuals may experience positive changes in their attitudes toward eating and their bodies as well. In the future, it is important to confirm whether the EHQ-R indicates diagnostic boundaries.Level of evidenceLevel V, descriptive cross-sectional study.

Spor Yapan Bireylerin Yeni Besin Korkusu ve Ortoreksiya Nervoza Eğilimleri ile Beslenme Durumları Arasındaki İlişkinin Belirlenmesi

Amaç: Bu çalışma, spor yapan bireylerin yeni besin korkusu ve ortoreksiya nervoza eğilimleri ile beslenme durumları arasındaki ilişkiyi belirlemek amacıyla yapılmıştır.&#x0D; Bireyler ve Yöntem: Çalışma, Aralık 2019-Nisan 2020 tarihleri arasında Ankara’da bulunan bir spor merkezine en az 3 aydır devam eden, 18-64 yaş arası 107 gönüllü birey (53 erkek, 54 kadın) üzerinde yürütülmüştür. Katılımcıların kişisel özellikleri, beslenme alışkanlıkları, egzersiz davranışları bir anket aracılığıyla sorgulanmış ve antropometrik ölçümleri alınmıştır. Katılımcıların yeni besinlerden kaçınma veya yeni besinleri deneme eğilimlerini belirlemek için Yeni Besin Korkusu Ölçeği kullanılmıştır. Ölçek puanı &lt;X̅±SS olan bireyler neofilik, X̅±SS nötr, &gt;X̅±SS neofobik olarak değerlendirilmiştir. Katılımcıların sağlıklı beslenme takıntılarının belirlenmesinde ORTO-11 ölçeği kullanılmış olup 23 puan ve altı ortorektik eğilim olarak değerlendirilmiştir. Katılımcıların besin tüketim durumları ise Besin Tüketim Sıklık formu kullanılarak saptanmıştır.&#x0D; Bulgular: Cinsiyete göre yeni besin korkusu ve ORTO-11 ölçek puanları açısından istatistiksel olarak önemli bir fark bulunmamıştır (p&gt;0.05). Yeni besin korkusu arttıkça yapraklı sebze/ot tüketimi azalmaktadır (p&lt;0.05). Ortorektik eğilimi olan bireylerde, ortorektik eğilimi olmayan bireylere göre sebze tüketiminin daha fazla, et ürünü/sakatat tüketiminin daha az olduğu saptanmıştır (p&lt;0.05). Yeni besin korkusu zayıflama amacıyla, haftada 1-2 kez spor yapan bireylerde daha yüksek iken; ortorektik eğilimin vücut geliştirme ve sağlığını koruma amacıyla, sıklıkla haftada 5 kez ve üzeri spor yapan bireylerde daha yüksek olduğu görülmüştür (p&gt;0.05). On iki ay ve daha uzun süredir spor yapanların ORTO-11 puanı, daha az süredir spor yapanlara göre daha düşüktür (p&lt;0.05).&#x0D; Sonuç: Bu çalışma, yeni besin korkusu ve ortoreksiya nervoza arasında bir ilişki olabileceğini ve egzersiz davranışlarını etkileyebileceğini göstermiştir. Bu bulguları doğrulamak için daha fazla araştırma yapılması gerekmektedir.

Association of Orthorexic Tendencies with Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms, Eating Attitudes and Exercise.

PurposeThe term orthorexia nervosa is used to describe the pathological fixation associated with consuming healthy food. It is assumed that orthorexia nervosa shares some phenomenological features with anorexia nervosa, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and other mental disorders. Individuals with orthorexic tendencies may have high physical activity as well as a healthy diet. This study aimed to investigate the relationship of orthorexia nervosa with obsessive-compulsive symptoms, eating attitudes, and several sociodemographic features.Patients and MethodsWe included 63 patients diagnosed with OCD, 63 healthy volunteers who perform physical exercises at least three days a week, at least 30 minutes a day, and 63 healthy volunteers who do not perform physical exercises regularly. Sociodemographic data form, Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale, ORTO-11 Scale, Eating Attitude Test, Hamilton Anxiety Scale, and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 Disorders (SCID-5 CV) were administered to all participants. OCD data form was also applied to patients with OCD diagnosis.ResultsWe found a statistically significant relationship between current order-symmetry obsessions and orthorexic tendencies in patients with OCD (p<0.05). There was no relationship between the severity of the disorder and orthorexia nervosa in patients with OCD (p>0.05). Orthorexic tendencies were found to increase as impaired eating attitudes increased in participants who regularly performed physical exercises and patients with OCD (p<0.05). The orthorexic tendencies of participants who regularly performed physical exercises were higher than those diagnosed with OCD and healthy individuals who did not perform physical exercises.ConclusionThe absence of a significant relationship between disorder severity and orthorexia nervosa in patients diagnosed with OCD and the increase in orthorexic tendencies as the deterioration in eating attitudes increases in both patients with OCD and the participants who regularly perform physical exercises suggest that orthorexia nervosa may be closer to the eating disorders group than obsessive-compulsive spectrum. Studies with large samples and different diagnoses are needed to determine the place of orthorexia nervosa in diagnosis and classification systems.

Orthorexic tendencies in inpatients with mental disorders

ObjectiveMost research on orthorexia nervosa (ON)—the tendency to only eat foods that are perceived as healthy—has been based on non-clinical samples. Thus, we examined prevalence of and changes in orthorexic tendencies in a large sample of inpatients with mental disorders. Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations with body weight and eating disorder (ED) symptoms were tested in subgroups of inpatients with anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN). MethodsInpatients (N = 1167) receiving disorder-specific treatment for disorders classified in the ICD-10 in F3, F4, or F5 completed the Düsseldorf Orthorexia Scale (DOS) at admission and a subset (N = 647) at discharge. ED patients completed the Eating Disorder Inventory–2 and their body weight and height was measured. ResultsPrevalence of ON was higher in ED patients than in all other groups, in which prevalence rates were similar to findings from the general population. Across ED groups, DOS scores decreased from admission to discharge, while there was no change in the other groups. In patients with BN, higher DOS scores related to lower BMI and predicted larger decreases in body dissatisfaction. Across ED groups, higher DOS scores related to higher body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness and predicted larger decreases in drive for thinness. ConclusionOur results highlight that ON is part of the ED spectrum. Associations with core ED symptoms question the suggested exclusive health focus on eating in ON and its potential as a distinct diagnosis. Rather, ON may represent a phenomenological subtype of restrictive EDs.

To further understand orthorexia nervosa: DOS validity for the Portuguese population and its relationship with psychological indicators, sex, BMI and dietary pattern.

Orthorexia nervosa (ON) is considered a pathological fixation with healthy eating. Despite recent research focus, there is still a lot of inconsistent information concerning ON, including its definition and validity of its measuring tools. This study aimed to extend the current knowledge on ON, by developing and validating the Portuguese adaptation of the Dusseldorf Orthorexie Scale (DOS) and studying its prevalence and relationship with different psychological indicators, sex, BMI and dietary pattern. Data were collected online, through self-report questionnaires, and two different samples were collected, with 513 (Sample 1) and 541 participants (Sample 2) from the general population. DOS' one-dimensional factorial structure and reliability was confirmed. ON's prevalence was 10.52%. Results revealed that women present higher scores on DOS than men, but no differences were found regarding the BMI groups. DOS was positively related to all psychological indicators, with moderate and strong relationships with disordered eating and inflexible eating. Sample 2 was used to explore ON's differences between dietary patterns, with results demonstrating that omnivores present significantly lower levels of orthorexic tendencies, when compared with the vegetarian, vegan, and paleo groups. The present study is the first to successfully validate a measure that assesses ON for the Portuguese population and adds to the existing literature in several other important ON aspects. Level V-validation study.

Assessing psychological and nutritional impact of suspected orthorexia nervosa: a cross-sectional pilot study.

To date, research on the dietary patterns of individuals with potential orthorexic symptoms is lacking. This cross-sectional pilot study aimed to explore the feasibility of assessing dietary patterns with psychological traits and states of individuals with possible orthorexic tendencies. Dietary intakes of 10 individuals (two males and eight females) were assessed using 24-h recall. Mean age of participants was 28.3years; mean body mass index was 21.2kgm-2 . Nutrient intakes were compared with current dietary guidelines and the Eatwell Guide (Public Health England, 2016). Participants completed the ORTO-15, the Eating Attitude Test (EAT-26), the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised edition (OCI-R), Paulhus's Spheres of Control (SoC), the Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) and the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ). High levels of disparity across participants' psychometric scores and 24-h recall results were observed. There was no single pattern of self-imposed dietary restrictions among participants. Described dietary practices failed to meet the guidelines for several nutrients. The results of this pilot study suggest that an extensive investigation of the diets of individuals with possible orthorexic tendencies in a large-scale study would contribute to the understanding of this condition. In addition, the use of multiple psychometric instruments is recommended for diagnosing orthorexic nervosa.

Orthorexic tendencies in the general population: association with demographic data, psychiatric symptoms, and utilization of mental health services

PurposeOrthorexia nervosa (ON) is characterized by a preoccupation to eat healthily and restrictive eating habits despite negative psychosocial and physical consequences. As a relatively new construct, its prevalence and correlates in the general population and the associated utilization of mental health services are unclear.MethodsAdults from the general population completed the Düsseldorf Orthorexia Scale (DOS), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ), the Short Eating Disorder Examination (SEED).ResultsFive-hundred eleven (63.4% female) participants with a mean age of 43.39 (SD = 18.06) completed the questionnaires. The prevalence of ON according to the DOS was 2.3%. Considering only effects of at least intermediate size, independent samples t-tests suggested higher DOS scores for persons with bulimia nervosa (p < .001, Cohen’s d = 1.14), somatoform syndrome (p = .012, d = .60), and major depressive syndrome (compared p < .001, d = 1.78) according to PHQ as well as those who reported to always experience fear of gaining weight (p < .001, d = 1.78). The DOS score correlated moderately strong and positively with the PHQ depression (r = .37, p < .001) and stress (r = .33, p < .001) scores as well as the SEED bulimia score (r = .32, p < .001). In multivariate logistic regression analyses, only PHQ depression scores were associated with past psychotherapeutic or psychiatric treatment (OR = 1.20, p = .002) and intake of psychotropic medication in the last year (OR = 1.22, p = .013).ConclusionsThe prevalence of ON was low compared to international studies but is in line with other non-representative German studies. Orthorexic tendencies related to general mental distress and eating disorder symptoms but were no independent reason for seeking treatment.Level of evidenceLevel V, cross-sectional descriptive study.

Does ORTO-15 produce valid data for \u2018Orthorexia Nervosa\u2019? A mixed-method examination of participants\u2019 interpretations of the fifteen test items

PurposeOrthorexia Nervosa (ON) is defined as a pathological eating behaviour stemming from being “healthy” or “pure”. Survey-based studies typically rely on the ORTO-15 questionnaire or its variations to detect orthorexia. However, frequent post-hoc adjustments to the ORTO-15 suggest psychometric problems. In this study, we explored people’s cognitions about the ORTO-15 items to (1) identify problems specific to ORTO-15 items and (2) explore participants’ understanding of ON symptoms.MethodsFifty adult participants (40% male, mean age = 34.0 ± 14.4 years) completed the ORTO-15, the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) and the Obsessive–Compulsive Inventory–Revised edition (OCI-R). Qualitative data were collected using the modified “think aloud” protocol, which asked participants to ‘verbalise’ their responses to the ORTO-15 items. These qualitative responses were first analysed conjunctively with the quantitative responses; then subjected to thematic analysis.ResultsORTO-15 identified 64% of the participants for orthorexic tendencies. In most cases (76%), participants reported no issues completing the ORTO-15. However, in some cases, qualitative responses differed from quantitative ones. When people encountered problems, it was because of poor psychometric construction: lack of clarity, ambiguous wording and multiple statements in a single item. Elaborations around the ORTO-15 items formed four major themes: “preoccupation with physical appearance”, “control”, “food is fuel” and “alone, not isolated”.ConclusionEven though in the majority of cases there were no issues with completing ORTO-15, thematic analysis revealed several discrepancies between our participants’ perceptions of the ORTO-15 items and the previously proposed diagnostic criteria for ON. The results suggest that ORTO-15 is, at best, a mediocre screening tool for ON, which is sensitive to diet but fails to have sufficient level of specificity to detect the pathological stage. More accurate instruments are needed to further research on ON.Level of evidenceV (cross-sectional descriptive study with qualitative analysis).

Orthorexic tendencies are linked with difficulties with emotion identification and regulation

BackgroundOrthorexia nervosa (ON) is characterised by an unhealthy obsession with healthy eating and while it is not recognised as an eating disorder (or any disorder), current research is exploring similarities and differences with such disorders. The literature has shown that individuals with eating disorders have difficulties identifying and describing emotions (known as alexithymia) as well as regulating them. However no research to date has looked at whether people with orthorexic tendencies also suffer from difficulties with emotions. In this paper, we refer to people with orthorexic tendencies but do not assume that their healthy eating is at a pathological level needing clinical attention.MethodsThe current study examined this by asking 196 healthy adults with an interest in healthy eating to complete four questionnaires to measure ON (ORTO-15 – reduced to ORTO-7CS), eating psychopathology (EAT-26), alexithymia (TAS-20) and emotion dysregulation (DERS-16).ResultsWe found that difficulties identifying and regulating emotions was associated with symptoms of ON, similar to what is found in other eating disorders. We suggest that ON behaviours may be used as a coping strategy in order to feel in control in these participants who have poor emotion regulation abilities.ConclusionsOur results show that individuals with ON tendencies may share similar difficulties with emotions compared to other eating disorders. While important, our results are limited by the way we measured ON behaviours and we recommend that further research replicate our findings once a better and more specific tool is developed and validated to screen for ON characteristics more accurately.

Orthorexic tendencies moderate the relationship between semi-vegetarianism and depressive symptoms

PurposeVegetarianism and semi-vegetarianism (i.e., overly vegetarian diet with rare consumption of meat) have been repeatedly linked with depression. As the nature of this association is unclear, we explored whether orthorexic (i.e., pathologically healthful eating) tendencies and ecological/ethical motives to follow a vegetarian diet may moderate the relationship between (semi-)vegetarian diets and depressive symptoms.MethodsFive-hundred eleven adults (63.4% females; 71.2% omnivores, 19.2% semi-vegetarians, 9.6% vegetarians) completed the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) questionnaire—measuring depressive symptoms—and the Düsseldorf Orthorexia Scale (DOS)—measuring orthorexic tendencies. Based on respective questions, participants were categorized as omnivores, semi-vegetarians, and vegetarians (including vegans) and were asked to indicate whether they chose their diet based on ecological/ethical motives. Moderation analyses were carried out with PROCESS.ResultsAdjusted for age, sex, and body mass index, there was a statistically significant interaction effect between diet (omnivore vs. semi-vegetarianism vs. vegetarianism) and DOS scores when predicting PHQ depression scores. At low or medium DOS scores, diets did not differ in PHQ depression scores (all ps > 0.05). At high DOS scores, however, semi-vegetarians had higher PHQ depression scores than both omnivores (p = 0.002) and vegetarians (p < 0.001). The interaction between diet and ecological/ethical eating motives when predicting PHQ depression scores was not statistically significant (p = 0.41).ConclusionSemi-vegetarians with strong orthorexic tendencies show more depressive symptoms than omnivores and vegetarians. The complex nature of the relationship between vegetarianism and depression requires further investigation.Level of evidenceIII, case-control analytic studies.

Orthorexic Tendency and Eating Disorders Symptoms in Polish Students: Examining Differences in Eating Behaviors.

Orthorexia nervosa (ON) may precede, ensue, or coexist with eating disorders (ED) and also affect eating behaviors. The aim of this study was to explore the dietary patterns (DPs) and other eating habits of people showing ON tendency, ED symptoms, and both ON tendency and ED symptoms, as well as those not showing either. The data for the study were collected from a sample of 1120 Polish college students through a cross-sectional survey in 2017. The questionnaire used in the survey included the ORTO-15, the Eating Disorder Screen for Primary Care (ESP), and the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ-6), and the students were also asked questions about their eating habits and special diets. A factor analysis was conducted to identify the following five DPs: “high-sugar products and refined products,” “meat and meat products,” “alcohol,” “high-fiber products and nuts,” and “dairy products and whole-meal bread.” Univariate logistic regression analyses were carried out to verify the associations between the variables. Students in the “ON and without ED” group were found to exhibit more healthy eating habits than the students in the “ED and without ON” group. The use of a special diet in the past and currently increased the risk of displaying ON tendency and ED symptoms. Students in the “ON and without ED” and “ON and ED” groups were characterized by less frequent consumption of high-sugar and refined products. Students who rarely consumed meat and related products were found to be less likely to display “ON and ED.” In conclusion, different eating habits shown by people with ON tendency and ED symptoms confirmed the difference between ON and ED. However, the simultaneous displaying of ON and ED leads to the overlapping of specificity of eating habits, which can make the diagnosis based only on the eating habits difficult. Thus, there is still a need for further research involving the use of more sensitive tools that can better identify ON tendency and ED symptoms, as well as DPs.

Evolutionary aspects of a new eating disorder: Orthorexia nervosa in the 21st century

In this theoretical study, certain characteristics of orthorexia nervosa (ON) are assessed. As a type of disordered eating, ON is characterized as pathological healthy eating obsession. By reviewing previous literature, four orthorexic traits are investigated whether they meet the conditions of becoming adaptive drivers of human behavior. First, learned neophobia to avoid “improper” foods is considered as an advantageous strategy, secondly, ON being a cohesive force based on common beliefs and its religious, virtuous characteristics is adaptive as well. The third orthorexic trait in the form of physiological consequences (refeeding syndrome, malnutrition) suggests that ON is rather a nonadaptive health behavior, along with the fourth characteristic, namely, the psychological disturbances that health anxiety may induce. To conclude, ON can be viewed as an inherently useful tool to protect one’s health by diet, but also as a phenomenon which has extreme forms causing health problems. The exact etiologies are unexplored, therefore, the psychological, social and cultural drivers of extreme healthy eating are important to understand for future improvements. In order to establish the criteria and therapeutic guidelines, it would be beneficial to collect narrative data and experiences from individuals with orthorexic tendencies.

Demographic characteristics, nutritional behaviors, and orthorexic tendencies of women with breast cancer: a case-control study.

Breast cancer is one of the most important health problems faced by women. No study was found in the world literature about the eating behavior of women with breast cancer. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine whether breast cancer patients and healthy controls differ in their orthorexia nervosa levels and to determine any factors that affect orthorexia nervosa (socio-demographic variables and nutritional habits). The data were collected using a face-to-face interview technique between May 2018 and March 2019 at outpatient clinics and a family health center in Turkey. The data of the study were collected using personal information form and the Orthorexia Nervosa Scale (ORTO-15). A linear regression analysis was performed to investigate the effects of socio-demographic variables and nutritional habits of women on the risk of orthorexia nervosa. Breast cancer patients had significantly lower ORTO-15 scores (i.e., a higher orthorexia risk) than the healthy controls. For the cancer patients, a regression analysis revealed that ORTO-15 scores were significantly associated with education level, organic food consumption status, receipt of social support for care, and presence of a chronic disease other than cancer. In the healthy controls, body mass index and education level were the primary predictors of ORTO-15 scores. The higher orthorexia risk of cancer patients has implications for these patients that could be improved through nutritional counseling. III, case-controlstudy.

Orthorexic Tendency in Polish Students: Exploring Association with Dietary Patterns, Body Satisfaction and Weight.

Body dissatisfaction is central to clinically diagnosed eating disorders (ED) and seems to be important in causing other non-clinical disorders, including orthorexia nervosa (ON). It can also affect eating behaviors. The aim of this study was to assess the associations of ON tendency with dietary patterns (DPs) and body satisfaction. The data were collected in 2017 through questionnaire survey among 1120 students of health-oriented and other academic programs from seven universities in Poland. Principal components analysis (PCA) was conducted to derive DPs and body satisfaction factors. Six DPs, such as, ‘High-sugar products & snacks’, ‘Fresh products & nuts’, ‘Fatty products & dressings’, ‘Oils & potatoes’, ‘Dairy products & whole-meal bread’, ‘Meat’, and two body satisfaction factors, such as, ‘Bottom body & weight’, and ‘Upper body’ were identified. ON tendency was measured using ORTO-15 questionnaire with both cut-offs, i.e., 35 and 40. Logistic regression analysis was used to verify associations between ON tendency, body satisfaction factors, and DPs. More students of health related majors were characterized by ON tendency in comparison to students of other majors (35.9 vs. 37.2; p < 0.001). More women were dissatisfied with ‘Bottom body & weight compared to men (<0.001). The higher the body mass index (BMI), the more people were dissatisfied with ‘Bottom body & weight’ (p < 0.001). More students with ON tendency were satisfied with their ‘Upper body’ than those without ON tendency, but there were no differences in ON tendency in regard to ‘Bottom body & weight’ satisfaction. ON tendency was associated with more frequent consumption of vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds, and less frequent consumption of products high in sugar, snacks, fatty products and dressings. Using cut-off at 35 in ORTO-15 seems to be more appropriate than cut-off at 40 to identify external variables describing ON. Future research on orthorexia nervosa should use other research tools than ORTO-15 to better identify individuals with ON and to confirm our findings.

An unhealthy health behavior: analysis of orthorexic tendencies among Hungarian gym attendees.

In the present study, we aim to assess the prevalence and certain psychological and other correlates of orthorexic tendencies: health and exercise behaviors and demographic variables among gym attendees in Hungary. Altogether, responses of 207 gym attendees who filled out an online questionnaire (03/2017-10/2017) were analyzed. The mean age was 31.9years; most were female and college educated, and about half resided in the capital city. Frequencies and means were calculated for the sample; and univariate linear regression and ANOVA were carried out. Finally, multivariate linear regression was used to assess the relationship between the dependent variable (Orto-11-Hu) and the independent variables (Eating Disorder Inventory, Maudsley Obsessional-Compulsive Inventory, health and exercise habits, and demographics). The mean score for the Orto-11-Hu was 27.7. In the multivariate analysis, two eating disorder characteristics (drive for thinness and interpersonal distrust), age, exercising more than once a day, and yoga practice were significantly associated with higher orthorexic tendencies. There was a lack of correlation between any obsessive-compulsive traits. Our data suggest and overlap between certain eating disorder traits, and a link between ON and frequent exercising and younger age. Further research is needed to investigate whether these correlates are found not only in a specific fitness-oriented population, but also in the general population. Level V, descriptive cross-sectional study.

Orthorexia nervosa and obsessive-compulsive behavior among college students in the United States

Background/Objective: Orthorexia nervosa (ON) is a disordered eating pattern and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety condition. Although ON shares many similarities with OCD, their relationship remains unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of both ON behaviors and OCD behaviors and whether or not an association between ON behaviors and OCD behaviors exist among college/university students in the United States.Methods: Using a cross-sectional, descriptive research design, a convenience sample of 270 college undergraduate students provided data using self-administered questionnaires: ORTO-15 to detect orthorexia behaviors and Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R) to detect obsessive-compulsive behaviors. Additionally, the participants completed a demographic questionnaire designed by the authors. Chi square, Pearson’s correlation coefficient and analysis of variance evaluated the variables of interest using a significance level of .05.Results: The prevalence rate for orthorexia nervosa behaviors was 37% and for obsessive-compulsive behaviors was 38.5%. There was a strong negative correlation (p &lt; .001) between the scores of the ORTO-15 and the scores of the OCI-R. As orthorexia behaviors increased, obsessive-compulsive behaviors like-wise increased.Conclusions: It was concluded that college/university students are a high-risk group for orthorexia nervosa and obsessive-compulsive behaviors. Mental health professionals who encounter clients with orthorexic tendencies are encouraged to also screen for obsessive compulsive symptomology as a comorbid problem.

The relationship between orthorexia nervosa and body composition in female students of the nutrition and dietetics department.

This study was carried out to determine the relationship between orthorexia nervosa (ON) and eating disorder and body composition, class level, and place of residence in university students from the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics. The participants (n = 136; 20.9 ± 2.0 years) were all female students, whose scores on the Orthorexia Nervosa Questionnaire (ORTO-11) and the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-40) indicated a prevalence of ON and eating disorder. Assessment of body composition indices (Tanita bioelectrical impedance; SC-330) of the participants showed there to be no significant difference in the EAT-40 and ORTO-11 scores in terms of body composition, class level, and place of residence. A large majority of the participants (70.6%) had high ORTO-11 scores, and a significant negative correlation (p < 0.05) was identified between the EAT-40 and ORTO-11 scores. Final results from analysis of the data showed that although abnormal orthorexic tendencies were common among the students from the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, they were nonetheless able to maintain body composition within normal values. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: V, cross-sectional descriptive study.